1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half-cutting device and a tape printing apparatus incorporating the same.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a tape printing apparatus that carries out printing while feeding a tape material in the form of a laminate of a printing tape and a peel-off paper, and a half cutter of the apparatus provides a half-cut portion in the printed portion of the tape material so as to facilitate the peeling of the peel-off paper. The printed portion of the tape material is fully cut to a predetermined length, to thereby produce a label element A conventional half cutter is, as proposed in e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-286367 and Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 5-20893, employs a force cutting method in which a cutter blade thereof moves perpendicularly (in approaching and leaving directions) with respect to the surface of the tape material, thereby carrying out the cutting operation.
The half cutter based on the force cutting method has its cutting edge of the cutter blade brought into contact with over the whole length in the direction of the width of the tape, and hence has a large contact area. Furthermore, it cuts the tape material by applying shearing pressure thereto, and hence requires a large force to perform the cutting. Therefore, from the view point of energy saving, downsizing of the construction of the apparatus, and neat and reliable cutting, this kind of half cutter is not preferable.
Normally, the half cutter has a cutting mechanism formed by a cutter and a tape-receiving member opposed to each other. Then, the cutter cuts into the tape material from one side of the tape material while the tape-receiving member bears the tape material against the shearing force of the cutter. Particularly, when the half-cutting is carried out, the amount of cutting into the tape material is only slight, and hence the setting of the distance between the cutter and the tape-receiving member is very important. Therefore, the technique of positioning the cutter for accurately setting the distance between the cutter and the tape-receiving member is desired. Further, the cutter blade is usually held by a cutter holder, and carries out cutting operation by a portion protruded from the cutter holder.
As described above, the distance or space interval between the cutter blade and the tape-receiving member arranged opposed to each other is important, but if the accuracy of holding the cutter blade by the cutter holder is low, causing variation in the amount of protrusion of the produced portion of the cutter blade, it is impossible to accurately position the cutter blade with respect to the tape-receiving member. This can cause adverse affects on the half-cutting process.
The cutting mechanism of a cutter device used in such a tape printing apparatus includes one based on a scissors-type method, and one based on a sliding cutting method, in addition to the one based on the force cutting method.
In the case of the cutting mechanism based on the sliding cutting method, the cutter blade cuts into a lateral edge of the tape material by hitting against the same, and therefore, the cutter blade can suffers considerable damage. In the tape printing apparatus and the like, such damage occurring upon initial cutting is repeatedly carried out with intervals of time. This causes the problem of breaking and wear of the cutting edge.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a half-cutting device which makes it possible to attain the energy saving, downsizing of the construction of a tape printing apparatus using the device, and reliable cutting with a beautiful cut, and the tape printing apparatus incorporating the device.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a half-cutting device which can accurately set a distance between a cutter and a tape-receiving member, and a tape-printing apparatus incorporating the same.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a half-cutting device having a cutter holder which can hold the cutter blade with an accurate amount of protrusion of the cutter blade from the cutter holder, and a tape printing apparatus incorporating the same.
It is a fourth aspect of the invention to provide a half-cutting device which is capable of reducing the breaking or wear of a cutter blade employed in the sliding cutting method, and a tape printing apparatus incorporating the same.
To attain the above objects, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a half-cutting device comprising:
a half cutter that has a cutter blade formed by an angular blade and moves in a direction of a width of a tape material to perform cutting operation on the tape material;
a tape-receiving member opposed to the half cutter, with the tape material interposed therebetween, for receiving the tape material being cut; and
a cutter moving mechanism that causes the half cutter to perform a cyclic operation including a cutting preparation operation in which the half cutter is advanced toward the tape-receiving member from a cutting wait position to a cutting start position, the cutting operation in which the half cutter is moved from the cutting start position to a cutting completed position, a withdrawing operation in which the half cutter is withdrawn from the cutting completed position to a withdrawn position, and a returning operation in which the half cutter is returned from the withdrawn position to the cutting wait position.
According to this half-cutting device, a half cutter performs cutting operation by moving in a direction of the width of the tape material. That is, it cuts the tape material by its sliding motion, and hence compared with the force cutting method type, it can cut off the tape material with a very small force, thereby making it possible to attain energy saving, downsizing of the construction of the tape printing apparatus, and neat and reliable cutting. Further, the half cutter is away from the tape-receiving member except when the cutting operation is performed, which prevents the half cutter from providing interference with mounting of the tape material between the half cutter and the tape-receiving member.
Preferably, the cutting operation is a linear motion carried out in a direction orthogonal to a direction of extension of the tape material.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutting operation is a linear motion carried out in a direction orthogonal to a direction of extension of the tape material, and hence the cutting distance over which the half cutter moves to perform the cutting is minimum. This enables efficient and reliable cutting operation.
Preferably, the tape material is removably mounted in a tape printing apparatus such that an end of the tape material is inserted between the tape-receiving member and the half cutter from above, and the cutting operation of the half cutter is carried out from a lower side of the tape material to an upper side of the same.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutting operation of the half cutter is carried out by a motion from the lower side of the tape material to the upper side of the same. The tape material tends to be displaced upward during printing (since the platen roller and the print head has an open top space therebetween). In this case, if the cutting is carried out from the upper side to the lower side, the printing position of the tape material tends to be displaced. However, if the cutting operation performed from the lower side to the upper side, the tape material has already been brought into direct abutment with the top plate of the cartridge case or like that, and hence is not displaced.
Preferably, the cutter moving mechanism includes a slide mechanism for causing the half cutter to carry out the cutting operation and the returning operation, a moving toward-and-away mechanism for causing the half cutter to carry out the cutting preparation operation and the withdrawing operation, and a driving force-transmitting mechanism for transmitting a driving force in a bifurcating manner to the slide mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism to thereby cause the slide mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism to operate in a manner interlocked with each other.
According to this preferred embodiment, the driving force-transmitting mechanism transmits the driving force to the slide mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism in a bifurcating manner, and hence it is possible to cause the half cutter to perform the complicated cyclic motion by simple construction. Further, since the slide mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism are operated in a manner interlocked with each other, it is possible to accurately synchronize the operations of the two mechanisms.
Preferably, the slide mechanism includes a guide shaft arranged in parallel with a tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member, for slidably holding the half cutter, and an input arm having an end portion thereof connected to the half cutter and at the same time capable of performing swinging motion about a root portion thereof, the input arm being supplied with a portion of the driving force from the driving force-transmitting mechanism, for performing the swinging motion, and causing the half cutter to slide such that the half cutter is guided by the guide shaft.
Further preferably, the half-cutting device includes a frame, and the moving toward-and-away mechanism includes a support block supporting the guide shaft and at the same time mounted on the frame such that the support block is capable of advancing and withdrawing, and an input plate having one end thereof connected to the support block and another end rotatably connected to the frame, the input plate being supplied with a portion of the driving force from the driving force-transmitting mechanism, thereby causing the guide shaft to approach and withdraw, via the support block.
According to this preferred embodiment, the torque of a single rotary disk can be converted to a swinging motion of the input arm and the input plate, whereby it is possible to perform efficient driving force conversion by simple construction.
Preferably, the input arm is formed with a cranking slot, the input plate being formed with a cam protrusion, and the driving force-transmitting mechanism includes a rotary disk being driven for rotation by the portion of the driving force supplied from a drive source, a cranking protrusion formed on one end face of the rotary disk, and an end face cam groove formed in another end face of the rotary disk, wherein the cranking protrusion performing a rotary motion in accordance with rotation of the rotary disk engages with the cranking slot formed in the input arm to form a swinging cranking mechanism in cooperation with the input arm, and the end face cam groove engages with the cam protrusion formed on the input plate, to form an end face cam mechanism in cooperation with the input plate.
Preferably, a sliding area extending along the guide shaft, on which the half cutter slides, is surrounded by a cutter bar such that the cutter bar covers the sliding area.
According to this preferred embodiment, since the area surrounding the sliding area is covered by the cutter bar, which prevents a foreign matter from entering the slide area.
Preferably the cutter bar is formed with a slit, for permitting a connecting portion connecting between the half cutter and the input arm to slide along the guide shaft.
According to this preferred embodiment, the sliding operation of the cutter bar is not blocked by the cutter bar.
Preferably, the cutter bar has an entry-preventing portion formed on a side thereof toward the tape-receiving member, the entry-preventing portion preventing the tape material from entering the slide area.
According to this preferred embodiment, the entry preventing portion is provided for preventing the tape material from entering the slide area, and hence the sliding operation of the half cutter cannot be obstructed due to jamming of the tape material.
Preferably, the cutter bar a cutter blade-protecting portion protruding toward the tape-receiving member such that the cutter blade-protecting portion overlaps the cutter blade of the half cutter in the cutting wait position.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutter blade in the cutting wait position is protected by the cutter blade-protecting portion, and hence it is possible to protect the cutter blade from a foreign matter entered from the outside.
Preferably, the tape-receiving member is formed with an escape hole for allowing an end portion of the cutter blade-protecting portion to enter therein.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape-receiving member is formed with an escape hole for allowing an end portion of the cutter blade-protecting portion to enter therein, and therefore, the half cutter does not offer an obstacle to an approaching motion of the half cutter toward the tape-receiving member.
Particularly to attain the first object, it is preferred that the half-cutting device further includes a tape-retaining member configured to be capable of advancing to and withdrawing from the tape material between an urging position at which the tape-retaining member urges the tape material against the tape-receiving member and a release position at which the tape-retaining member is spaced from the tape material, and an interlocking mechanism for moving the tape-retaining member to the urging position immediately before a start of the cutting operation of the half cutter, and moving the tape-retaining member to the release position immediately after completion of the cutting operation.
According to this preferred embodiment, the half cutter performs cutting operation by moving in a direction of the width of the tape material. That is, it cuts the tape material by its sliding motion, and hence compared with the force cutting method type, it can cut off the tape material with a very small force, thereby making it possible to attain energy saving, downsizing of the construction of the tape printing apparatus, and neat and reliable cutting. Further, the tape-retaining member can fix the tape material by pressing the same against the tape-receiving member. This prevents displacement of the tape material when it is cut, and hence prevents displacement of a printing position of the tape material when it is cut. Furthermore, the half-cutting device includes an interlocking mechanism that moves the tape-retaining member to the urging position immediately before a start of the cutting operation of the half cutter, and moves the tape-retaining member to the release position immediately after completion of the cutting operation. This makes accurate the timing in retaining the tape material and timing in cutting the tape material, thereby enabling reliable cutting operation.
Preferably the interlocking mechanism comprises a cutting operation mechanism for causing the half cutter to perform the cutting operation, a moving toward-and-away mechanism for causing the tape-retaining member to advance from the releasing position to the urging position and withdraw from the urging position to the releasing position, and a driving force-transmitting mechanism for transmitting a driving force supplied from a drive source in a bifurcating manner to the cutting operation mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism.
According to this preferred embodiment, the driving force-transmitting transmits the driving force in a bifurcating manner to the cutting operation mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism, and hence it is possible to cause the half cutter to perform complicated motion by simple construction. Further, the cutting operation mechanism and the moving toward-and-away mechanism are operated in an interlocked manner, which makes it possible to attain accurate synchronization of these mechanisms.
Preferably, the half cutter moves in the direction of the width of the tape material to perform the cutting operation on the tape material, and the cutting operation mechanism includes a guide shaft arranged in parallel with a tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member, for slidably holding the half cutter, and an input arm having an end portion thereof connected to the half cutter and at the same time capable of performing swinging motion about a root portion thereof, the input arm being supplied with a portion of the driving force from the driving force-transmitting mechanism, for performing the swinging motion, and causing the half cutter to slide such that the half cutter is guided by the guide shaft.
Preferably, the half-cutting device includes a frame, and the moving toward-and-away mechanism includes a support block supporting the tape-retaining member and at the same time mounted on the frame such that the support block is capable of advancing and withdrawing, and an input plate having one end thereof connected to the support block and another end rotatably connected to the frame, the input plate being supplied with a portion of the driving force from the driving force-transmitting mechanism, thereby causing the guide shaft to approach and withdraw, via the support block.
Preferably, a resilient member is interposed between the tape-retaining member and the support block, the resilient member having resilient properties acting in an approaching/withdrawing direction of the tape-retaining member.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape-retaining member is in resilient contact with the tape-receiving member, so that displacement and deformation of the tape-receiving member and the tape-retaining member are accommodated to ensure reliable retention of the tape material.
Preferably, the input arm is formed with a cranking slot, the input plate is formed with a cam protrusion, and the driving force-transmitting mechanism includes a rotary disk being driven for rotation by the portion of the driving force supplied from a drive source, a cranking protrusion formed on one end face of the rotary disk, and an end face cam groove formed in another end face of the rotary disk, wherein the cranking protrusion performing a rotary motion in accordance with rotation of the rotary disk engages with the cranking slot formed in the input arm to form a swinging cranking mechanism in cooperation with the input arm, and the end face cam groove engages with the cam protrusion formed on the input plate, to form an end face cam mechanism in cooperation with the input plate.
According to this preferred embodiment, the torque of the rotary disk can be converted to swinging motion of the arm and the input plate, thereby enabling efficient torque conversion by simple construction.
Preferably, the half cutter is supported on the tape-retaining member via the guide shaft.
Particularly to attain the second object, it is preferred that the half-cutting device further includes a blade motion guide arranged in parallel with a tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member, for guiding a cutting motion of the half cutter parallel to the tape-receiving surface, and a pair of blade-positioning members arranged at opposite ends of the blade motion guide, respectively, for being pushed against the tape-receiving surface.
According to this preferred embodiment, by causing the blade-positioning members to be abut against the tape-receiving member, whereby it is possible to accurately arrange the cutter blade at a predetermined distance from the tape-receiving surface. Further, since the pair of blade-positioning members abut against the tape-receiving member at two upper and lower locations thereof, even if the tape-receiving member or other structure undergoes deformation, it is possible to secure a stable distance between the cutter blade and the tape-receiving member.
Preferably, the half cutting device includes springs for urging the pair of blade-positioning members toward the tape-receiving member, respectively.
According to this preferred embodiment, the urging force of the springs are transmitted to the cutter via the blade-positioning members and the blade moving guide. This sets the cutter in a floated state, whereby it resiliently bites into the tape material, thereby ensuring a cutting performance with a wide stable operation range, while accommodating variation in rigidity of the tape caused e.g. by different biting (engaging) pressure of the cutter blade due to undulation of the tape material along an undulation of the tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member.
Preferably, the half cutting device further includes a tape-retaining block capable of advancing to and withdrawing from the tape-receiving member, the tape-retaining block retaining the tape material being subjected to the half cutting, the each of the blade-positioning members being slidably held by the tape-retaining block, and at the same time, the springs urging the blade-positioning members with one ends thereof abutting against the tape-retaining block.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape-retaining block causes the tape material to be pushed against the tape-receiving member, whereby the tape material can be fixed in position. This makes it possible to prevent displacement of the tape material when it is being cut, and further displacement of the same after it is cut.
Preferably, the tape-retaining block comprises a tape-retaining member for holding the blade-positioning members, and a support block supporting the tape-retaining member in a state in which the tape-retaining member is urged in an advancing direction, in a manner capable of advancing and withdrawing, and the springs urge the blade-positioning members with one ends thereof abutting against the support block.
According to this preferred embodiment, the tape-retaining member being urged is brought into resilient contact with the tape-receiving member. This causes the tape material to be reliably retained without being affected by an undulation of the tape material along an undulation of the tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent displacement of the tape material when it is cut, and further displacement of the same after it is cut. Further, the tape-retaining member and the blade-positioning members operate without being influenced by each other since they are urged independently of each other, which enhances the reliability of the performance of each of these members.
Preferably, the tape-receiving surface of the tape-receiving member is formed with a groove extending along a path of movement of the half cutter, where the cutter blade of the half cutter faces via the tape material.
According to this preferred embodiment, the provision of the groove causes the tape material to be pushed into the groove, whereby it is possible to make use of the resilience of the tape material. This makes it possible to maintain stable cutting accuracy even with a variation in the position of the blade point (cutting point).
Particularly to attain the third object, it is preferred that the half cutter includes the cutter blade formed by the angular blade in the form of a thin plate having a generally rectangular shape, and a cutter-holding portion holding the cutter blade, and the cutter-holding portion includes a blade-positioning portion against which abut two sides of the cutter blade adjacent to each other with a blade point of the cutter blade therebetween, and a blade press-fitting and holding portion wherein other two sides of the cutter bladed adjacent to each other are press fitted and held therein.
According to this preferred embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the blade point of the cutter blade can be determined by causing the two sides of the cutter blade adjacent to each other with a blade point of the cutter blade therebetween to be abut against the blade-positioning portion, which makes it possible to accurately set the amount of protrusion of the blade point of the cutter blade. Further, the cutter blade can be firmly held by press-fitting the other two adjacent sides of the cutter blade in the blade press-fitting and holding portion.
Preferably, the cutter-holding portions formed by a mounting recess having a shape generally complementary to the cutter blade exclusive of the blade point.
According to this preferred embodiment, only by placing the cutter on the mounting recess and pressing the cutter blade therein, the cutter blade can be easily caused to be held by the cutter holder.
Preferably, the blade-positioning portion is formed by two internal side walls of the mounting recess.
According to this preferred embodiment, the two sides of the cutter blade adjacent to each other with the blade point therebetween are brought into direct contact with the whole length of the blade-positioning portion, with the exception of the blade point. This makes it possible to set the amount of protrusion of the cutter blade from the cutter holder to a constant value irrespective of variation in the external shape of the cutter blade.
Preferably, the blade press-fitting and holding portion has protruding potions protruding into the mounting recess, and the protruding portions have respective protruding ends thereof deformed such that the protruding ends are crushed, thereby holding the cutter blade in a manner pressing the cutter blade against the blade-positioning portion.
According to this preferred embodiment, by only pushing the cutter blade from above, the protruding portions are crushed to thereby positively hold the cutter blade.
Preferably, the blade press-fitting and holding portion has an escape groove into which escape the crushed protruding end.
According to this preferred embodiment, the crushed portion of the protruding portion escapes into the escape groove, and hence does not prevent the blade press-fitting and holding portion from holding the cutter blade.
Particularly to attaint the fourth object, it is preferred that the cutter blade has a blade point formed to have an obtuse angle.
According to this preferred embodiment, since the cutter blade is formed such that the blade point has an obtuse angle. This prevents the breakage of a cutting edge due to forcible pulling operation of the tape material or like member to be cut, and at the same time increases the stability of the tip of the cutting point, also reducing the wear of the cutting edge. In this connection, if the blade point angle is equal to or smaller than 90 degrees, the cutting edge tends to be broken both during blade machining and during cutting operation.
Preferably, the cutter blade has a cutting edge angle which is not smaller than 20 degrees and at the same time not larger than 50 degrees.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutter blade is set to have a cutting edge angle which is not smaller than 20 degrees and at the same time not larger than 50 degrees. Therefore, the cutter blade has an increased strength against the breakage of the cutting edge. This is because although the cutting edge angel is basically preferred to be acute, a cutting edge having a more acute i.e. smaller cutting edge angel tends to be more prone to breakage.
Preferably, the cutter blade has an entering angle which is not smaller than 20 degrees and at the same time not larger than 60 degrees.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutter blade is set to have an entering angle which is not smaller than 20 degrees and at the same time not larger than 60 degrees. This makes excellent the balance between the resistance to cutting and possibility of a deviated cut. If the entering angle is smaller than 20 degrees, the cutting resistance becomes too large, whereas if the same is larger than 60 degrees, a deviated cut may occur.
Preferably, the cutter blade is formed of cemented carbide.
According to this preferred embodiment, the cutter blade is formed of cemented carbide, so that the blade is resistant to chipping of the cutting edge, and wear. An ordinary tool steel easily wears, while ceramics tends to be chipped.
To attain the above objects, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus including:
a half-cutting device, the half-cutting device comprising:
a half cutter that has a cutter blade formed by a angular blade and moves in a direction of a width of a tape material to perform cutting operation on the tape material;
a tape-receiving member opposed to the half cutter, with the tape material interposed therebetween, for receiving the tape material being cut; and
a cutter moving mechanism that causes the half cutter to perform a cyclic operation including a cutting preparation operation in which the half cutter is advanced toward the tape-receiving member from a cutting wait position to a cutting start position, the cutting operation in which the half cutter is moved from the cutting start position to a cutting completed position, a withdrawing operation in which the half cutter is withdrawn from the cutting completed position to a withdrawn position, and a returning operation in which the half cutter is returned from the withdrawn position to the cutting wait position; and
a printing device that prints on the tape material.
According to this tape printing apparatus, the advantageous effects as described above concerning the half-cutting device can be obtained.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.